Rufflers



y 1961 B. s. NICKERSON 2,985,125

RUFFLERS Filed Dec. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1961 B. s. NICKERSON2,985,125

RUFFLERS Filed Dec. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR j/ ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent C) RUFFLERS Basil S. Nickerson, North Haven, Conn,assignor to The Greist Manufacturing Company, New Haven, 'Conn., acorporation of Connecticut Filed Dec. 5, 1958, Ser. No. 778,344

8 Claims. (Cl. 112- 135) This invention relates to sewing machineattachments and more particularly to a rufiler attachment designed foruse in connection with the ordinary household sewing machine.

The usual attachment of the character illustrated in the presentapplication comprises a frame adapted to be secured to the presser barof a sewing machine, this frame carrying a fixed ruflling blade overwhich the material passes. Cooperating with this fixed r-uflling bladeis a movable or reciproca-ble blade of resilient material, this bladebeing secured to a blade carrier or slide slidably mounted in the frame.A lever is pivoted on the frame and depends from its pivot point to haveits lower end pivotally connected to the blade carrier or slide, thisbeing a fixed pivot. A fork arm is also pivoted on the frame andprovided with a pawl member to engage a shoulder upon the dependinglever to actuate the same to move the movable ruffling blade forwardlyto effect a ruffling operation.

The fork arm is adapted to be connected to a stud or post on the needlebar for reciprocation thereby. Means is also provided on the fork arm toengage a member attached to the depending lever to move it in a reversedirection, and this member is usually adjustable so as to determine thelimit to which the depending lever is retracted or moved in a rearwarddirection. This determines the starting position of the milling bladeand the final position of the blade is determined by the height of thestud on the needle bar to which the fork arm is connected when theneedle bar is at the top of its stroke. Therefore, the adjustment ofthis member on the depending lever will determine the width of therufile.

As stated, the limit of the forward position of the movable rufllingblade is determined by the height of the stud on the needle bar withwhich the fork arm is connected when the needle bar is at the upperlimit of its stroke. This varies considerably depending upon theparticular make of sewing machine with which the attachment is used. Forexample, in some sewing machines the length of the stroke of the needlebar is longer than in others and in other instances the position of thestud with which the fork arm is attached is at a different height fromthe frame of the rufller than is the case with machines of other make.It is, of course, desirable to have the ruming blade terminate itsforward stroke at the same position regardless of the particularmachines to which it is connected. Means is provided to this end in thepresent instance by providing an adjustable connection between thedepending lever and the slide or carrier to which the ruflling blade issecured so that the forward position of the blade may be set at thedesired point regardless of the final upward position of the fork arm.

Also it has been found that when materials of different weights areemployed greater pressure of the movable rufiling blade on the fixedblade is required with a heavy material than with a light material. Asthe movable blade is generally resilient and flexible, it sometimesoccurs that this blade will, not effect proper feeding of the materialwhen it is relatively heavy. Provision is made in the present case foradjusting the stilfness of the movable rufiling blade by providing astiffening member to engage the upper face of this blade and oppose theflexing thereof. This stiifening member is adjustable so that its pointof contact with the movable ruflling blade may be varied and in that wayadjustment can be made for materials of any weight.

One object of the present invention is to provide a rufller attachmentfor sewing machines wherein the milling blade is actuated from themovement of the needle bar and means is provided to adjust the positionof the blade with respect to the position of the needle bar of thesewing machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a miller attachmentfor sewing machines wherein the rufiling blade is actuated by a fork armconnected to the needle bar, which fork arm is connected to the rufllingblade by means including an adjustable connection whereby the positionof the ruflling blade and particularly the forward position thereof maybe varied with respect to the position of the fork arm.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a rufllingattachment for sewing machines wherein the ruffling blade isreciprocated by a pendulum lever pivoted to the frame of the attachment,which lever is in turn actuated by the usual fork arm, and to provide anadjustable connection between this lever and the ruffling blade or thereciprocating member which carries the rufiling blade so that theposition of the latter may be varied with respect to the position of thependulum lever.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rufllingattachment for sewing machines having a flexible or resilient rufilingblade with adjustable means to stiffen the blade against flexing inorder to improve its operation with materials of various weights andtextures.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a rufller attachment embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view of the lower portion of the attachment taken from theside opposite that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of the movable ruflling blade andthe stiffening mechanism therefor.

To illustrate one embodiment of the invention there is shown in thedrawings a rufller attachment comprising a frame 10 having an adapter 11secured thereto, which adapter is as usual adapted to be secured to thepresser bar of the sewing machine with which the attachment is to beused. Pivotally mounted at 12 upon an upstanding portion of the frame isa fork arm 13 having a bifurcated end '14 adapted to be connected. witha stud or needle screw upon the needle bar of the sewing machine.

Pivoted to the fork arm at 15 is the usual pawl carrier 16 having a pawl17 adapted to engage a shoulder 18 at the upper end of a depending orpendulum lever 19 pivoted to the frame at 12 coincidently with the forkarm and move this lever forwardly. A ratchet wheel 29 may be rotatablymounted on the frame on the pivot 12, which ratchet wheel contains deepand shallow notches adapted also to be engaged by the pawl 17 so as tovary 3 screw which extends through an arcuate slot 26 in the lever 19.The above mechanism is usual in rulflers of this character and operatesin a well-known manner.

Secured to a laterally extended portion 28 of the frame is afixedrufiiing blade 2h which usually is of spring steel and, therefore,resilient. Cooperating with the fixed blade is a movable ruffiing blade36 also of spring steel and resilient and flexible, which movable bladeis secured to the under face of a laterally extended foot portion 31 ofa blade carrier or slide 32 (see Fig. 6). This blade carrier is slidablyconnected to the frame between the upstanding portion thereof and aguide shoe 33 riveted at 34 to the frame so that the elongated slidemember 32 may be reciprocated in a forward and rearward direction. Itmay also be noted that the movable rufiling blade is provided at itsforward end with serrations or teeth 35 and with a needle-receiving slot36 which enables this blade to move forwardly to a position beyond theneedle.

As shown more especially in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6, the carrier or slide 32is provided at its rear end with a slot 38 so that it may be adjustablyconnected to the lower end of the lever 19. This connection is made, asshown in Fig. 4, wherein, as illustrated, a screw 39 passes through theslot 38 and is threadedly engaged with an L-shaped nut 4% on the side ofthe lever 19 opposite that of the slide 32, this nut having an arm 41extending below the slide so as to prevent its rotation when the partsare assembled. The lever 19 is provided with an opening 42 through whichthe screw 39 passes, this opening, however, being considerably largerthan the screw and the latter being embraced by a sleeve 43 of slightlygreater thickness than that of the lever 19 so that the latter will notbe clamped between the carrier 32 and the nut but will be free to rotateabout the sleeve 43 in the operation of the device. With thisconstruction it will be apparent that within the limits permitted by thelength of the slot 38 the carrier 32 of the feed blade may be adjustedwith respect to the lever 19 which will serve to adjust the forwardlimit of its stroke with respect to the position of the fork arm 13 andof the needle bar to which the latter is connected. This will providefor the use of the attachment regardless of the stroke of the needle barwhich, as stated, varies depending upon the particular sewing machinewith which the attachment may be used.

It has been found that the flexibility or resilience of the movableruffiing blade 39 which is proper for use with some kinds of materialwill not feed properly and will be too flexible when a heavy glazedmaterial is employed as the blade will some times slide over the surfaceof such material without feeding it. Therefore, in order to be able toadjust the pressure of the movable blade upon the material, a stiffeneris provided to engage the upper surface of the blade and which is alsoadjustable to vary its point of engagement with the movable blade.

As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing, this stiffener comprisesa fiat relatively stiff member 45 slidably mounted upon the uppersurface of the laterally extending member 31 of the carrier or slide 32.This member is provided with openings 46, and rivets 47 extend throughthese openings into the member 31 to adjustably hold it in place.

A crenelated spring 48 is provided between the heads of these rivets andthe upper surface of the member 45 so as to frictionaly hold the latterin any position to which it may be adjusted. The forward end of themember 45 is bent downwardly, as shown at 49, in order that its endportion may engage the upper side of the blade 30. This point ofengagement may, of course, be varied by changing the position of thestiffening member 45 as permitted by the slots 46 so that the pressureexerted by the blade 30 upon the material can be varied as desired. Themember 45 may also be slotted as shown at 50, which slot will registerwith the slot 36 of the movable blade 30.

While I have shown and described an embodiment 4 of my invention, itwill be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the detailsshown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit ofthe invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A ruffler attachment for sewing machines comprising a frame, a fixedblade thereon, a flexible blade cooperating with, and movable relativelyto, the fixed blade, a carrier member reciprocably mounted on the frameto the lower face of which said movable blade is secured, a stiffeningmember secured at one end to the upper face of the carrier and having afree end portion engaging one face of the movable blade to limit itsmovement away from the fixed blade, means for actuating the carriermember, and means for adjusting said stiffening member relatively to thecarrier member to vary its stiffening effect on the movable blade.

2. A ruffler attachment for sewing machines comprising a frame, a fixedblade thereon, a flexible blade cooperating with, and movable relativelyto, the fixed blade, a carrier member reciprocably mounted on the frameupon the lower face of which said movable blade is carried, a stiffeningmember secured to the upper face of the carrier and extending forwardlytherefrom to engage one face of the movable blade to limit its movementaway from the fixed blade, means for actuating the carrier member, andmeans for adjusting said stiffening member longitudinally of the movableblade and carrier to vary its point of contact therewith.

3. A ruffier attachment for sewing machines comprising a frame, a fixedblade thereon, a flexible blade cooperating with, and movable relativelyto, the fixed blade, a carrier member reciprocably mounted on the frameupon which said movable blade is carried, a stiffening member on thecarrier and engaging one face of the movable blade to limit its movementaway from the fixed blade, and means for actuating the carrier member,said stiffening member comprising a body portion in spaced relation tothe movable blade and having a downwardly projecting forward end toengage the surface of the movable blade on the side thereof opposite thefixed blade.

4. A ruffler attachment for sewing machines comprising a frame, a fixedblade thereon, a flexible blade .cooperating with, and movablerelatively to, the fixed blade, a carrier member reciprocably mounted onthe frame upon the lower face of which said movable blade is carried, astiffening member secured to the upper face of the carrier and engagingone face of the movable blade to limit its movement away from the fixedblade, means for actuating the carrier member, means for adjusting saidstiffening member longitudinally of the carrier and movable blade tovary its point of contact with the latter, and spring means frictionallyholding said stiffening member in adjusted positions.

5. A rufiler attachment for sewing machines comprising a frame, a fixedblade thereon, a flexible blade cooperating with, and movable relativelyto, the fixed blade. a carrier member reciprocably mounted on the frameupon which said movable blade is carried, a stiffening member on thecarrier in upwardly spaced relation to the upper surface of the movableblade and engaging one face of the movable blade to limit its movementaway from the fixed blade, means for actuating the carrier member, saidstiffening member. being provided with slots, retaining elementsslidably received in said slots and secured to the carrier whereby themember is adjustable on the carrier in a direction longitudinally of thefixed blade, and the forward end of said stiffening member extendingdownwardly to engage the upper surface of the blade in substantiallyline contact.

6. A ruffler attachment for sewing machines comprising a frame, arufiling blade fixed on the frame, a carrier member reciprocably mountedon the frame, a cooperat ing movable blade supported on the carrier forreciprocation thereby, a fork arm pivoted on the frame, meansoperatively connecting the fork arm to the carrier by which the latteris reciproc-ated by oscillation of the fork arm including a pendulumlever member actuated by the fork arm, means for adjustably connectingsaid carrier member to said lever member, said means comprising a slotin one of said members, elongated in the direction of movement of thecarrier member, and a pivot element carried by the other member andadjustable in said slot, and interengaging means on said fork arm andlever for varying the stroke of the latter relatively to the movement ofthe former.

7. A rufller attachment for sewing machines comprising a frame, arufiiing blade fixed on the frame, a carrier member reciprocably mountedon the frame, a cooperating movable blade supported on the carrier forreciprocation thereby, a fork arm pivoted on the frame, meansoperatively connecting the fork arm to the cam'er by which the latter isreciprocated by oscillation of the fork =arm including a pendulum leveractuated by the fork arm and pivoted at its lower end to said carriermember, means for adjusting said pivot point to vary the position of themovable blade with respect to the pendulum lever, interengaging meanscarried by said fork arm and lever for adjusting the length of thestroke of the blade regardless of the position of the pivot point.

8. A rufiler attachment for sewing machines comprising a frame, arufliing blade fixed on the frame, a carrier member reciprocably mountedon the'frame, a cooperating movable blade supported on the carrier forreciprocation thereby, a fork arm pivoted on the frame, meansoperatively connecting the fork arm to the carrier by which the latteris reciprocated by oscillation of the fork arm including a pendulumlever member actuated by the fork arm, means for adjustably connectingsaid carrier member to said lever member, said means comprising a slotin the carrier member elongated in the direction of movement of saidmember, and a pivot element carried by the pendulum lever member andadjustable in said slot, and the forward end of said stiffening memberextending downwardly to engage the upper surface of the blade insubstantially line contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSCarmichael et a1 Aug. 27, 1929

